Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/2/2022

by Chuck Sommers

Wednesday, Dec 29, 2021
Game time: 1 p.m. ET
Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Where to watch: FOX

Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks


DraftKings: Buccaneers -12.5; O/U 45; Bucs -650, Jets +460
BetMGM: Buccaneers -13.5; O/U 45.5; Bucs -714, Jets +500
Caesars: Buccaneers -13; O/U 45.5; Bucs -833, Jets +550

Season record
Buccaneers: 11-4 (Clinched NFC South)
Jets: 4-11 (Last place, AFC East)

It was a good seven days for Will Rogers going 5-3-0 after what was an uncertain week of make-or-break games. Two weeks left in the regular season before the fun begins. You should be at the ready at all times. Catch Will’s plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.

Buccaneers - Jets preview and analysis


Last week
Buccaneers: won 32-6 at Panthers
Jets: won 26-21 vs. Jaguars

If there’s any saving grace for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers having to finish the regular season without their top two wide receivers, it’s the schedule down the stretch.

Tampa Bay will look to strengthen its playoff positioning after clinching its first NFC South title since 2007 when it faces the New York Jets on Sunday.

The Buccaneers are coming off a rather easy 32-6 win at the Carolina Panthers, which was a simple tune-up without Mike Evans (COVID) and Chris Godwin (ACL). Antonio Brown, fresh off the COVID list himself, caught 10 passes for 101 yards, while replacement Cyril Grayson caught three passes for 81 yards.

Tom Brady had an overall good game with 232 yards and a touchdown. The league leader in passing yards and touchdowns reached the 4,500-yard mark for the seventh time in his illustrious career.

"We haven't had one of those division banners for a long time," Bucs coach Bruce Arians said. "It feels great. This is what we focused on: winning the division. I can't be more proud of the group than I am today."

It was a much-needed answer for Tampa Bay after getting shut out 9-0 at the hands of the New Orleans Saints at home the week prior. With the win, the Bucs are in a three-way tie for the 2-4 seeds with the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams. All three are one game back of the Green Bay Packers for the No. 1 seed.

The Cowboys hold the 3-way tiebreaker by way of conference winning percentage; Tampa Bay defeated Dallas way back in Week 1.

It wouldn’t be a Brady season without him tormenting the Jets one more time, and he’ll get that chance against the 4-win New York club. Brady, who needs three touchdowns to join Aaron Rodgers as the only players with three 40-touchdown seasons, has 57 touchdown tosses in 36 career games against the Jets.

New York comes in off a 26-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the battle of the top two quarterbacks taken in this year’s NFL Draft. Zach Wilson threw for only 102 yards and a touchdown, but his legs did most of the work with a 52-yard rushing touchdown in the victory.

The No. 2 overall pick has a rushing touchdown in four of his last five game and has not thrown an interception in three straight games.

"It was the longest touchdown run probably in my whole life, too," Wilson said.

Last week was one of the rare times the Jets were favored (2.5 points), but they did cover for the second straight week and are 3-2 against the spread in the last five. Tampa Bay has taken advantage of the spread, going 5-1 in the last six while being favored in all of them; they were double-digit favorites in three of them.

This will be the sixth time in the past eight games the Bucs will be double-digit favorites and are 4-1 in those last five occurrences.

Prediction


This is going to be another game where Tampa Bay will turn to the running game, and it will work. I can’t see Wilson having success against this Bucs defense, especially if he was held below 110 through the air against a Jacksonville defense that’s not very good. It should be another cakewalk for Tampa. Buccaneers by 17

Betting trends


The Buccaneers are 6-1 ATS off an under this season.

The under is 1-5 when the Buccaneers win two out of three this season.

The Jets are 7-16 ATS over the past three seasons following a home game.

Players to watch


Buccaneers: Should he come out of COVID protocol, wide receiver Mike Evans is 101 yards to become the first player ever with 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons in the league.

Jets: Rookie running back Michael Carter ran for a career-high 118 yards last week, his third game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage.

Statistical leaders


Buccaneers:
Passing: Tom Brady – 4,580 yards, 37 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Ronald Jones – 402 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Mike Evans – 899 yards, 11 TD
Defense: Shaquil Barrett – 10 sacks

Jets:
Passing: Zach Wilson – 2,013 yards, 7 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Michael Carter – 566 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Jamison Crowder – 431 yards, 2 TD
Defense: Quinnen Williams – 6 sacks

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Chuck Sommers

About the Author:

Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

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